A Girl in Uniform
by punkish furball
Summary: Virtually a hikikomori with no high school prospects to speak of, Kagome ends her isolated lifestyle to see someone who's been with her through all the tough times and heartache. However, she never expected to be caught up in the tangled mess of his life at Fujimori High and join the other "girls" in uniform. PP/INU xover
1. Prologue: A Sheep in Wolf's Clothes

_**Disclaimer for this story: **__Princess Princess is property of Mikiyo Tsuda and InuYasha is property of Rumiko Takahashi. All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author, punkish furball. The author, punkish furball, is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. The author, punkish furball, makes no profit from this fanfiction. No copyright infringement is intended._

punkish furball – Hello, all! XD

**Words to Ponder:**

Hey, everybody. It's new crossover time! (fireworks and confetti)

This time I will be delving in the world of _InuYasha_ and _Princess_ _Princess_. You can expect some light hearted humor, warm and fluffy feelings, and just a dash of teen angst. I hope you enjoy it. I always appreciate your thoughts and feedback.

**Prologue: A Sheep in Wolf's Clothes**

Higurashi Kagome groaned as she sat up in her bed. Her movements were impeded by the thickly wrapped bandages around her torso, but she managed to leave the confines of her mattress and walk to her closet, retrieving a change of clothes. After that, she slowly trudged to her bathroom, grimacing when she saw a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her skin was sickly pale, her eyes were dull, and her hair was shaggy and past due for a trim.

She snorted. 'Some guardian I turned out to be.'

Kagome hurriedly removed her pajamas and bandages before stepping underneath the hot streams of water from the shower, vigorously scrubbing herself clean. When she finished, she meticulously replaced the wrappings around her chest and changed into a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. The clothing billowed and hung off her form; weeks of being bedridden caused her to lose a lot of weight. Kagome didn't give her current condition much thought. Her mother would see that she was well fed and healthy soon enough.

When she finished cleaning up, Kagome walked downstairs to the kitchen where she knew her mother would be. Nodoka was surprised to see her appear in the doorway. She was displeased with her daughter's thin, haggard appearance but said nothing. After all, given her past condition, it was to be expected.

"Kagome, when did you get out of bed?" Nodoka asked as she joined Kagome at the table.

"A while ago," she answered with a shrug.

"Are you sure you should be up?" Nodoka questioned. Wearing an encouraging smile, she added, "You can rest as long as you like."

Kagome smiled and shook her head. "I've been resting so much that I'm restless. I needed to get back on my feet eventually unless I planned on staying a _hikikomori_ for the rest of my life. Plus, I really needed to use the tub and the toothbrush."

The grin on Nodoka's face subtly lessened. She certainly knew a cover-up when she heard one but would indulge her daughter for now. She seemed to be happy and didn't need to be reminded of prior events until she was ready.

"And a pair of scissors," Nodoka playfully added, "I've never seen your bangs so long."

Kagome sighed, knowing it was true. Her unruly fringe threatened to poke her eyes out.

"I'll get a haircut as soon as I can," she muttered.

Nodoka nodded. "If I were you, I'd get one tomorrow." She paused and stood to her feet.

"You must be starved. I'll go make you something."

"Thanks, Kaa-san."

"Would you like me to heat up some leftovers or I could make you noodle soup right quick? Ramen or udon?"

"Miso ramen?" Kagome timidly requested.

"Coming right up!"

Kagome hummed as she watched her mother flutter about the kitchen, gathering the ingredients for her meal.

"By the way," Nodoka stated once she started cooking, "you received a few phone calls while you were indisposed."

"Really?" Kagome asked, mildly interested.

Sometime between the trips back and forth from the Feudal Era, she managed to pass middle school by the skin of her teeth. Then, while her peers were preparing for high school entrance exams, she was fully committed to her duty with InuYasha and the others, seeking Shikon Jewel shards and defeating anyone who stood in their way. During that time, all but Hojo and Ayumi lost touch with her.

"I'll have to call them back and let them know I'm okay."

Nodoka agreed. "There were quite a few from the Sakamoto family."

"Oh!" Kagome exclaimed, immediately alerted by the familiar name, "Did anything bad happen?"

"Not really. They asked how your recovery was going and gave me a few updates to pass along," Nodoka answered, "Sakamoto-kun got accepted to high school, a very good one."

Kagome smiled fondly. "Of course he did. Sakamoto-kun is brilliant. I remember him saying he wanted to go to the same school his older brother attended. I think the name is Fujimori."

"Either way, you do owe him a call."

Kagome nodded. "I should probably visit him soon."

"I believe he'd like that. It's been a while since the two of you have seen each other," Nodoka said as she set a piping hot bowl of ramen in front of Kagome with a pair of chopsticks.

"I'll get you some tea."

"Thanks, Kaa-san." Kagome pursed her lips together in thought before she began eating her noodle soup. As always, it was delicious.

"I think I'll see Sakamoto-kun tomorrow," she suddenly announced. Sakamoto Akira went through all the trouble of contacting her while she was confined to her bed, patiently checking in for weeks. He deserved to learn she was well in person.

"Good," Nodoka exclaimed, "Since you'll be in the area, drop by Fujimori Academy. Maybe you can see if they're taking transfer students and pick up an application."

Kagome snorted. "Kaa-san, there's no possible way for me to attend Sakamoto-kun's school."

-O0o0O-

Kagome slowly stepped off the bus, curiously taking in the impressive campus that was Fujimori High School. It was much larger than expected.

'Then again, I suppose it's one of the perks of being an elite school.'

As she approached the school, Kagome absently brushed her bangs away from her eyes. She woke up later than she planned and only had enough time to take a quick shower, brush her teeth, and change her clothes before scrambling for the bus. Since she was in such a hurry, she grabbed a pair of Bermuda shorts and dark T-shirt from a pile of recently laundered clothes.

'And no time for a haircut,' she thought, blowing up her fringe.

The late awakening wasn't Kagome's only setback. She wasn't expecting to actually visit Akira at the academy. Her original plan was to stop by the Sakamoto family home after school ended. Then after she discovered the family member she sought wasn't there, she boarded the bus again and headed for Fujimori instead of waiting for him to arrive. Truthfully, it was one of the last places she wanted to be. Nonetheless, she stubbornly walked through the academy gates wondering where to start looking for Akira.

'Sakamoto-kun's parents told me he should be doing his duties as class president right now. If that's the case, someone around here must know him or where he might be,' Kagome reasoned.

"Hime-sama!"

Before Kagome knew it, a rapidly moving body collided with hers and sent both of them flying into the bushes. She landed bottom first in the mud.

"Wha—?" she mumbled, but a hand quickly clamped to her mouth.

"Please be quiet or they'll find us!" the boy on top of her whispered.

Before Kagome could protest, a large group of boys ran passed them, oddly enough, calling for someone named "princess". The boy let out a relived sigh as soon as they were gone.

"Pardon me," Kagome began, lightly glaring at the offender, "but could you get off now?"

"Ah! I'm sorry."

The boy quickly jumped off her and held out a hand to pull her up. Kagome accepted the help and, once she was on her feet, looked down with a grimace at her sodden, dirt spattered appearance.

"I am so sorry!" the boy exclaimed, bowing low at his waist.

"It's no problem," Kagome insisted, "Really it's not."

The boy stood to his full head and rapidly shook his head. "I'll take you somewhere to get a change of clothes."

Before Kagome could say anything else, the boy grabbed her hand and pulled. Instead of resisting, she went along. She could feel the mud caked on her bottom begin to dry; a new pair of pants was definitely in order.

"Well, thank you very much…Hime-sama," she said, wearing a grin.

"Don't call me that!" her companion shouted, indignant.

Kagome giggled. "But that's what those boys were shouting before. I assumed they were calling for you since you hid from them."

Now that she had a better look at him, she could understand why other boys would dub him "princess". His light red hair and big, lucid eyes practically screamed pretty boy.

'They didn't seem like they were making fun of him though.'

The boy blushed and started to walk a little faster. "All you need to know is that I had no choice! That title was forced on me!"

"Whatever you say," Kagome remarked, "So what is your real name?"

"It's Yutaka. Yours?"

"Higurashi," she replied, introducing herself by her last name like he did.

"So what are you doing here?" he asked, "Are you looking for someone?"

Kagome nodded and answered, "I'm looking for Sakamoto Akira-kun."

"Sakamoto-sama?" Yutaka repeated, "If he's still on campus, he's probably with Arisada-san and the rest of the student council."

"Could you take me to him, Yutaka-san?" Kagome asked politely.

He nodded. "Sure thing, Higurashi-san. As soon as you've cleaned up."

The two of them stopped in front of a home economics classroom. Yutaka opened the door and cleared his throat, gaining the attention of a student with his dark blond hair pulled into a high ponytail and his bangs styled in tight spiral curls. He turned to them, a wide grin on his bespectacled face.

"Mikoto-hime!" he exclaimed, "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Natasho-senpai, do you have a spare uniform for my friend, Higurashi, to borrow?" he asked. Suddenly panicked, he added, "A normal school uniform! Not any of the other ones."

The senior thoughtfully hummed as he approached Kagome, placing both hands on her shoulders. She cringed when he leaned forward and brushed her bangs away from her eyes. After a few more seconds of his intense stare, he let out an excited squeal that was positively gut wrenching. He latched onto Kagome's arm and pulled her away from the classroom entrance.

"You have so much possibility!" he cried, "Come this way!"

"Huh?" was all Kagome could utter before she found herself strapped to a salon chair with a black cape tied around her neck. Natasho was standing over her with a pair of scissors.

"What are you doing?" she asked as he circled her.

"The bangs first then the split ends. The dryness will need to be addressed as well," he said, talking to himself more than her.

"Hold on, senpai!" Yutaka shouted, "Don't get carried away!"

Despite Yutaka's and Kagome's protests, Natasho proceeded and haphazardly snipped away at Kagome's wild locks, producing one of the best cuts she ever received. He finished by pulling her hair in a low ponytail tossed over her left shoulder and bound with a blue ribbon.

"It is finished!" he announced as he stepped away, briefly admiring his work before disappearing from sight. Yutaka was equally impressed.

"Wow! I never guessed you looked like that!" he exclaimed.

Kagome's right eyebrow twitched. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I didn't mean anything bad!" he quickly amended, "I just didn't get a good look at you with your bangs in the way."

"I guess I can't argue with you there," she reluctantly stated.

"Here!" Natasho interjected as he reappeared handing a standard Fujimori uniform to Kagome. She blinked owlishly but decided wearing the males' uniform was better than walking around caked in dirt.

"There's a sink over there where you can wash up," Natasho helpfully added.

"Thanks," Kagome said with a nod, "Could the two of you leave while I change?"

"What for?" Yutaka asked.

She bristled. "I'm not changing in front of you!"

Yutaka huffed but complied and moved to the hallway along with Natasho. After a few minutes of waiting, Kagome emerged, clean and freshly clothed.

"I promise to return this later. As for my clothes—" she began but Natasho cut her off with a shake of the head.

"Don't worry about those! I'll take care of it," he told her, "As for the uniform, you should keep it. You and it are destined to be!"

"Thank you?" Kagome replied, not entirely sure how to receive the declaration.

"We'll be leaving now, senpai," Yutaka said, "Thanks again for your help."

As the duo walked away, Natasho stood outside the classroom, dramatically waving at them. "See you soon, _hime_-_tachi_!"

"Huh? What is he talking about?" Kagome uttered. Once again, a student of Fujimori mentioned "princess".

"Never mind!" Yutaka insisted, "Let's look for Sakamoto-sama."

Kagome decided to let the issue drop. Whatever this princess business was about, it clearly made Yutaka uncomfortable.

The two of them continued searching for Akira until Yutaka came to a sudden halt.

"Is there something wrong?" Kagome asked, stopping alongside him. Yutaka didn't answer, only stood with his back stiff and mouth agape. Ahead of them, there were two boys swiftly approaching their position.

"Mikoto!" they called out, angered.

"Damn!" Yutaka muttered under his breath.

"Friends of yours?" Kagome asked, though she already suspected the answer.

"Yeah," he replied, his posture relaxing, "This will only take a minute…I hope."

Kagome nodded and waited until the two boys reached them, stepping aside so she wouldn't be in the way. Like Mikoto, they both had noticeably attractive features and a certain _bishōnen _appeal. One boy had deep bluish, black hair with wide, expressive baby blues while the other was a longhaired, blond with eyes of golden hazel.

"What are you doing skipping work again?" the blond pointedly asked Mikoto, looking at him suspiciously.

"It's not my fault!" Mikoto insisted, but the other boy wouldn't hear it.

"Liar!"

"It's the truth," Kagome interjected, taking a step toward them, "Yutaka-san is helping me find Sakamoto-kun." As soon as she spoke, she had both newcomers' attention.

"Sakamoto?" the raven repeated.

After staring at her for a few seconds, the two boys smiled knowingly.

"Forgive us for being rude. My name is Kouno Toru," the raven introduced himself.

"I'm Shihoudani," the blond said with a nod, "We're both in Sakamoto-sama's class. We can help you find him."

"I'm Higurashi," she replied, "Thanks for the offer, but are you sure you can help me? It seems like the three of you have something important to attend to." If need be, she would gladly look for Akira on her own.

Toru nodded and said, "We all have a meeting with the student council, but Sakamoto is likely to be there as well. If he's not, we'll look somewhere else."

"You don't mean to bring him in front of the student council?" Mikoto cried, obviously distressed by that notion. He vehemently shook his head. "He won't stand a chance!"

Kagome raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Just what could a high school student council do to her to make Mikoto so worried?

"I see," Shihoudani stated, looking at Mikoto in disappointment, "You planned on using Higurashi to shirk your duties."

"Despicable," Toru added, shaking his head.

Mikoto, looking as though he were about to cry, exclaimed, "Shihoudani! Kouno!"

Ignoring the outburst, Shihoudani placed a helpful hand on Kagome's shoulder and led her away from Mikoto with Toru in tow. Mikoto pouted but followed after the other three. It didn't take long for them to end up in front of the student council meeting room. Kagome nearly faltered when she spotted the council members assembled before her. All four were very handsome.

'Is everyone at this school so good looking?' she thought.

"_Hime-tachi_, you're late," a blond, emerald-eyed student with a noticeable air of confidence stated. He paused when he spotted Kagome standing in between Shihoudani and Toru.

"Hello and who might you be?" he greeted her politely.

"This is Higurashi. He's looking for Sakamoto," Toru answered for her.

"Ah. Sakamoto-sama is out running errands for _hime-tachi_ and return to report to me shortly."

"Princess, princess, princess, that's all I've been having since I got here," Kagome grumbled, irritated, "What's all that about anyway?"

"You mean Sakamoto-sama didn't mention it?" the blond asked, intrigued.

She snorted. "Clearly."

The blond chuckled and began to explain. "You see, Higurashi-kun, as an all boys' school, Fujimori was in need of something to enrich the dull lives of its students. Thus to answer this need, the Princess System, an institution very unique to this school, was born to create visual idols for other male students to admire.

"Basically, a candidate chosen for Princess duties is a popular first year student with good looks and a well-suited personality. His duties will include wearing girls' clothing to morning meetings and school events, encouraging others at school, and cheering at school events.

"Yutaka Mikoto-kun and Shihoudani Yuujiro-kun are both current Princesses. Kouno Toru-kun, a recent transfer student, is a Princess candidate. So what do you think, Higurashi-kun?"

Kagome pursed her lips together, her initial shock fading away. Surprisingly, the more the older student told her about the bizarre system, the less bizarre it seemed.

'Although,' she thought, 'I can understand why Sakamoto-kun never mentioned it before.'

"It is odd," she honestly answered, "but I suppose it all makes sense when you think about it."

"What are you saying, Higurashi?" Mikoto shouted, clenching his fists by his side, "Nothing about this situation makes sense!"

"At first, it didn't," she clarified, "But, when you really think about it, it's all explained by biology."

"What do you mean?" Toru asked, curious.

"It reminds me of something I read in one of my science books," Kagome began to explain, "Consider this scenario. Assume you're keeping a group of male and female birds in the same cage then suddenly separate them based on their sex. The females will remain indifferent to the change while the males will eventually begin to chase each other. For the males, gender doesn't matter when there isn't any choice. The same could be said about Fujimori High."

"What are you trying to say?" Mikoto questioned. He still couldn't see how anything scientific could explain the Princess System he so hated.

Kagome shrugged. "Boys are just horny."

The blond senior's boisterous laughter broke the silence that settled after Kagome's bold declaration.

"Higurashi-kun, you are absolutely delightful," he told her, "Forgive me for not introducing myself yet. I'm Arisada Shuya, student council president." He then gestured to the three other boys stationed around him.

"These are my fellow student council members."

"Koshio Masayuki, vice president."

"Harue Wataru, treasurer."

"Tadasu Takahiro, secretary."

"Nice to meet you," she replied, politely bowing. She faltered when she stood up and caught the look of Arisada's face. His piercing smile was positively unsettling.

-O0o0O-

"Sakamoto-sama!"

Sakamoto Akira stopped and looked back to those who addressed him. He just finished some crucial preparations for the ceremony introducing Fujimori Academy's newest Princess, Toru from class 1-D. He was on his way to report his progress to student council president, Arisada.

"Yes?" he answered.

"You have a visitor on campus," one of the boys who called him said.

"Really? I wasn't expecting anyone," he replied, wondering who it could be.

The boy eagerly nodded, a sheen of bright pink covering his cheeks. "You're so lucky, Sakamoto-sama! To have such a lovely friend come to see you."

Akira awkwardly smiled and nodded. From the brief description, he assumed his visitor was one of his family members. All of them were known for their striking beauty.

"He's so tiny!" another continued to gush. The others followed suit, adding in their favorite features of the mysterious visitor.

"With perfect pale skin!"

"And long black hair!"

"And such clear blue eyes!"

"Huh?" Akira uttered. No one in his family fit that description. "Is this person waiting for me at the front gate?"

"No, the last I saw him, he was with Mikoto-hime."

"Is that so? Then they could be with the student council," Akira mused, knowing the Princesses had a meeting with the organization.

"The student council?" one boy uttered.

"That means Higurashi could be a Princess candidate along with Kouno!"

"Ah! We could have four Princesses this year!"

"Awesome!"

"What a minute!" Akira loudly interrupted the excited chatter, "Did you say his name is Higurashi?"

The boys stopped and nodded.

"Yeah. I heard it from Natasho-senpai."

Akira said no more and broke into a panicked run. He didn't stop until he reached the student council meeting room. When he reached it, he burst inside without any preamble, panting heavily. His sudden appearance surprised the student council members, the current Princesses and the Princess candidate, and the one who came to see him.

"Sakamoto-kun!" Kagome cried as soon as she saw him, grinning from ear to ear.

Akira slowly approached her in disbelief. He hasn't seen Kagome for nearly four to five months. She was thinner than he remembered and her skin lost its healthy glow, but he could barely contain the joy of seeing her. He gave Kagome his full and undivided attention, leaving the other occupants of the room to nosily watch their exchange.

"Higurashi, what are you doing here?" he finally asked.

"I came to see you," she answered.

Akira shook his head. "I mean, how are you feeling? The last time I heard from your mother, you were still…"

"Oh! I'm fine now for the most part," Kagome exclaimed when he trailed off, "Since you continued to call and check on me, I came here to tell you in person."

Akira smiled and placed gentle hands on Kagome's shoulders before pulling her into a tight embrace.

"You look like you're doing well," he whispered, his lips right next to her ear, "I'm so glad."

"Sakamoto?" Toru questioned, his voice shattering the warm reunion. Akira and Kagome both looked up, startled.

Arisada smirked and said, "The two of you certainly have a close relationship."

Soon after he spoke, Akira quickly jumped away from Kagome, sheepishly looking at the floor.

"Ah! Well, we—" he began but, regretfully, couldn't find the words.

Kagome shrugged, wearing a crooked grin. Akira was always so shy when it came to her.

"Well, I was looking for him for a reason," she remarked.

"It also seems like the two of you don't see each other often," Shihoudani commented.

Regaining his composure, Akira looked up and nodded. "Yeah. Higurashi has been sick for nearly a year now."

"Really?" Mikoto said, astonished.

"It's true. Sakamoto-kun has been really kind to me," Kagome said, wearing a small, sad smile, "He always calls and checks for updates, making sure I'm okay."

"It's good that you're well enough to start school now," Toru remarked, giving her a friendly clap on the shoulder.

With an embarrassed flush, Kagome admitted, "I'm not exactly enrolled in school yet. I haven't been in the right…condition to sit for entrance exams."

"But your uniform," Toru pointed out, "Aren't you a student here too?

"Of course not!" Kagome replied, "I'm only wearing this because of Yutaka-san."

"I said I was sorry!" he shouted.

"All that considered," Arisada interjected, "did you ever consider applying to Fujimori, Higurashi-kun? I think you'll fit in perfectly here."

"Seriously?" Kagome said, not sure whether she should be angry or amused.

"Ah, Arisada-san, that's a very nice thing to say, but it's not possible for Higurashi to attend this school," Akira added, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck.

"Why would you say something like that, Sakamoto? You and Higurashi seem very close," Toru stated, "Wouldn't you want to go to school together?"

"That's not the point. You all seem to have the wrong idea about Higurashi," Akira clarified.

Kagome couldn't help the few giggles that escaped as she thought of a way to explain her situation delicately.

"I guess you can say the reason I can't attend this school is also explained by biology," she decided to say.

"You mean because you're still sick?" Shihoudani supplied.

"No," she said with a shake of her head, "because I'm a girl."

The resulting silence and tension in the room was thick. Mikoto was the first to break it.

"You're a girl?" he shouted, shocked, "A girl? You can't be a girl! I was with you all day! I know you're not a girl."

Kagome sighed. "I can assure you I am."

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a cat shaped wallet. She removed her middle school ID card and showed it to the group of boys. Printed on it clear as day was her gender and a picture of her dressed in a girls' uniform. It was proof enough for them to believe her.

With the earlier meeting between Kagome and Akira clicking in his mind, Shihoudani asked, "Hey, Sakamoto-sama, is Higurashi your girlfriend?"

Both teens blushed at the question.

"Not exactly," Kagome mumbled.

"So what is your relationship?" Arisada asked pointedly.

"Higurashi is my fiancée."

"…Eh!?"

-O0o0O-

punkish furball – Ha-ha! This is my first time writing with _Princess_ _Princess_ characters, and I hope it was to your liking. As always I appreciate your questions, comments, and words of wisdom so please contact me! X3

Until next time, TCB! XD

(edited 10.11.2013)


	2. Chapter 1: Harbinger of Things to Come

punkish furball – Hello, all! XD

**Words to Ponder:**

Thank you for reviewing: Dark Void Princess 21, koryandrs, Foxluna, Tsuchi no'Kage, SarcasticSapphire, Simplistic Practically, Jessica, TsubakiTwilight, Guest (1), Ashurinikouru, xXCrossoverLoverXx, Wicken25, ZeAwsumOtaku, ChibiStalker16, rocio e-chan, YukimuraShuusukeGirl, Anber, Guest (2), Akikazu, Kaddy 16, 2featerbraids, that. girl. we. all. luv, Skjalf Frost-Born, Aloever, and Ethorin! X3

Hello, all! I hope you all enjoy what I've written thus far. Keep in mind to contact me if you have any comments, questions, or words of wisdom! = ^.^ =

**Chapter 1: Harbinger of Things to Come**

Kagome sighed as she sat beside her mother with her hands folded in her lap. She tried to keep still, but she was unused to the formal _kimono_ Nodoka dressed her in, preferring the simple _yutakas _she'd wear in the summer.

"Stop fidgeting, dear," Nodoka scolded though her tone gentle.

"Sorry," Kagome amended with a sheepish shrug, "I'm just a little nervous. This is our first time meeting, after all."

Nodoka smiled and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I understand, but there's no need to worry. Once you two start meeting regularly, you'll get more and more confident and comfortable with each other."

"I guess so."

After a few more minutes, the sliding door was opened. In the doorway stood a beautiful couple accompanied by a young boy. He too was wearing traditional Japanese clothing and looked even more nervous than Kagome did.

"Ah! I'm so sorry we're late!" the woman exclaimed, "I hope you weren't waiting long."

"Not at all," Nodoka answered, shaking her head, "Please join us."

The boy awkwardly gulped and remained in his spot until his mother gave him an encouraging push in Kagome's direction.

"Go on, Aki-chan!" she told him, "Introduce yourself."

He obediently nodded and slowly approached Kagome and her mother. He sat in front of them with his legs bent and politely bowed his head.

"Hello. My name is Sakamoto Akira. It's nice to meet you."

Kagome returned the gesture, a cherry blossom pink blush spreading across her cheeks.

"My name is Higurashi Kagome. Please treat me kindly."

-O0o0O-

Kagome's eyebrows twitched as she continued to stand at Akira's side. His declaration effectively silenced everyone in the room even that obnoxious student council president. She would have appreciated the quiet if she didn't notice the telltale signs of gears turning behind Arisada's bright green eyes.

"Will someone please say something?" she asked, exasperated.

"What is there to say?" Mikoto abruptly shouted, "Not only are you a girl, but you are a girl who's engaged to Sakamoto-sama!"

Shihoudani shook his head and said, "I think what Mikoto meant ask was how the two of you become engaged in the first place. Sakamoto-sama never mentioned you before."

"Sorry, about that," Akira replied, "It's not as though I were hiding it from you. The topic just never came up. Anyway, Higurashi and I first met at an _omiai_ when we were younger."

"So it's an arranged marriage?" Toru deduced.

Kagome nodded. "Both of our parents met through _omiai_, so they encouraged us to do the same and started bringing us to the meetings when we were kids."

"But aren't you a little young to decide you want to get married?" Shihoudani asked.

"I suppose it could seem that way. Even so, Higurashi and I ended our courtship and became officially engaged when we were 14," Akira explained, "However, about a year after that, Higurashi fell ill and, because she lives in Tokyo, we were unable to see each other."

He turned to Kagome and smiled. "Until today."

Kagome blushed. "I would have told you I was coming, but I was expecting to see you at home, not here."

Toru smiled and said, "When you think about it, the story has a very romantic feel to it."

Everyone—even the shell-shocked Mikoto—had to agree.

"Indeed," Arisada added, "Sakamoto-sama, Higurashi-kun, the two of you should spend the rest of your time together. You can resume your work tomorrow, Sakamoto-sama."

"_Arigato_, Arisada-san!"

"It was nice to meet you and the rest of the student council," Kagome said as she bowed, "You two, Kouno-san, Shihoudani-san." She smirked before continuing.

"Miko-hime."

"Why?" Mikoto cried, "Why would you call me that knowing how I feel, Higurashi?"

"Because when I look at your face, I just want to tease you," she answered.

He blanched and lowered his head, trying to block out the surrounding snickers from Shihoudani and Toru.

"That's what we kept trying to tell you," Toru sang, teasing.

"Let's get going!" Kagome said as she grabbed Akira's hand, lacing their fingers together.

"Hi-Higurashi!" he stuttered, surprised by the sudden action. Kagome only giggled as she stepped into the hallway pulling Akira behind her.

"_Ja ne, mina-san_!"

After the two left, Toru said with a smile, "So that girl is Sakamoto's fiancée. She's so cute!"

Shihoudani agreed. "She's bold as well."

"You got that right," Mikoto said, still pouting, "Still, it's a shame the two of them can't see each other more often."

"Yes," Arisada interjected, "It is a great shame for something like that to befall Sakamoto-sama."

The two Princesses and the Princess-to-be cringed at the sound of the student council president's voice.

"What does it seem like Arisada-san hasn't given up on Higurashi?" Shihoudani asked, keeping his voice low so only Mikoto and Toru could hear him.

"But she's a girl!" Mikoto vehemently protested, "Under no circumstances can a girl attend an all boys' school! ...right?"

Toru sighed, closing his eyes and shaking his head. "I don't think something like that would stop the student council capable from doing the impossible."

-O0o0O-

Akira blushed as he walked out of the school building with Kagome at his side, their hands still intertwined. The only students who still remained were busy with their club's practices and tryouts, so the hallways were clear. Even so, there were enough people roaming the grounds earlier to assure there would be plenty of gossip tomorrow.

'It's all because of Higurashi,' he thought. However, as troublesome as that seemed, he didn't mind.

"Sakamoto-kun," Kagome interjected on his thoughts, "Is something wrong?" She grimaced and spoke before he could answer.

"I've caused you so much trouble, haven't I? I'm sorry."

Akira panicked and frantically replied, "You don't have to apologize to me! I'm happy you came to see me. In fact, I should be asking for your forgiveness."

"What do you mean?" she inquired.

"Between school and student council duties, I was beginning to neglect you," he explained, "For that I am sorry."

"No way! If anything, I'm the neglectful one."

Akira shook his head and tightened his grip on Kagome's hand, smiling. "I have to take responsibility."

The two approached the bus stop and boarded when it arrived. They rode in a comfortable silence until they reached Akira's family home. They disembarked and head for the house where Akira quickly opened the door and announced their arrival.

"We're back!" he called out.

His mother, Sakamoto Nanami, rushed into the foyer and beamed at the two teens. Kagome always found her very adorable with her childlike demeanor and matching fashion sense.

"Aki-chan, Go-chan, welcome home!" she exclaimed. She sighed happily and continued, smiling brightly, "Ah! The two of you look so cute together! It's as though you're already married!"

"Kaa-san!" Akira shouted, embarrassed. Kagome only smiled; she expected this reaction from her.

"Nanami, you shouldn't tease Akira in front of his fiancée."

Nanami turned to her equally handsome husband, Hidetoshi, and pouted.

"But Hide-kun!" she objected, "What was I supposed to say? They came in holding hands!"

Hidetoshi chuckled and kissed his wife on the forehead. She instantly gushed.

"Oh, Hide-kun!"

"The two of you can go to the dining room," Hidetoshi said, "Dinner should be finished soon."

The two nodded and walked to the dining room, sitting next to each other at the dinner table. Akira's younger sister, Fuyuki, was already seated inside and looked up when she saw them.

"Kagome-nee-chan, nice to see you again!" she exclaimed, "You're looking well."

"Thank you, Fuyuki-chan. How's school?" she asked.

"Pretty good," she answered as she stood and took a seat next to Kagome, "How about you?"

"I suppose you could call me a '_ronin_'. I haven't even taken high school entrance exams yet," she sheepishly admitted.

"So why are you wearing Aki-chan's school uniform?" Fuyuki asked.

"Oh this? There was a little incident when I went to find Sakamoto-kun at Fujimori, and I had to change," Kagome explained, "Believe me. I don't plan on keeping it long."

"Too bad. It suits you," Fuyuki commented with a grin.

"Fuyuki!" Akira interrupted, "Don't tease her."

"Don't worry, Sakamoto-kun. After today, I see it as a compliment," Kagome said, "I'm returning it first thing tomorrow either way."

"But you don't have to go through all the trouble," he told her, "I can return it for you."

"It's okay," she insisted, "I need to get out more anyway."

"But—"

"Don't be so rude, Aki-chan!" Nanami said from the hallway, overhearing the conversation, "Your fiancée obviously wants an excuse to come see you at school so let her!"

"Kaa-san!" Akira shouted for the second time that night.

His mother ignored him and shouted up the stairs, "Natsu-chan, Haru-kun, come down for dinner!"

"Haru-nii is here?" Akira inquired.

His question was answered when his older brother, Harumi, suddenly latched onto his neck as his older sister, Natsuru, walked into the dining room after him. She smiled and nodded at Kagome before taking her seat.

"Haru-nii?" Akira questioned, his voice muffled.

"Akira, you're so cruel!" he cried, "I came home to see you, and you weren't at here! Why did you stay after school so long?"

"Sorry, Haru-nii, but Higurashi came to see me," he answered.

"Huh?" Harumi uttered and looked up at Kagome, gaping at her.

"Kagome!"

Kagome grinned; she expected this response too. "Hello, Harumi-san."

"_Minna_, dinner is ready!" Nanami announced as she and Hidetoshi walked inside, carrying tonight's meal.

When everyone settled down, Akira watched Kagome from the corner of his eye. She appeared to be the cheerful, strong willed girl as she always was, but something was off. And, the worst part of it all, he didn't know why. Akira sincerely meant when he said he was being neglectful of her. He didn't even know she was well enough to leave her bedroom.

'There's still so much I don't know about that,' he thought. Nevertheless, he wouldn't press Kagome for details and give her the support she needed until she was ready to talk. Slowly, Akira reached for Kagome's hand resting on the table, intending to cover it with his own. When his fingers grazed hers, she looked at him curiously, and he froze.

"_Ano_, Higurashi…" he began, awkwardly trailing off.

Kagome smiled and intertwined their fingers tightly.

"Yes, Sakamoto-kun?"

He shook his head, smiling to his self. "It's nothing."

-O0o0O-

Kagome sighed as she walked toward the front of Fujimori High. This time, her visit was during school hours, so the school was more crowded than it was yesterday. Also, instead of showing up unannounced, she called the premises earlier this morning and asked to speak to Natasho to return the uniform she borrowed from him. A student worker in the front office told her to stop by around noon.

The closer she got to the school building, the more spectators she seemed to gather. Everyone was whispering about the mysterious Higurashi-kun who spent private time with the Princesses, the student council, and Sakamoto-sama.

'Even with my hair down, I'm still mistaken for a boy,' she thought fighting the urge to roll her eyes. Although, her outfit, a pair of jeans and a navy blue hoodie, or the bandages around her torso didn't help.

Kagome stopped when she entered the main building, standing in the foyer. 'On the phone, they said something was coming to meet me for the trade. I hope this doesn't take too long.'

"Nice to see you again, Higurashi-kun."

Kagome groaned when she looked around and saw Arisada standing ahead of her.

'I should have known it would be him.'

Putting on her best happy face, she said as he approached her, "Nice to see you again, Arisada-san. Thank you for meeting me to return this."

Once he was close enough, she held out the freshly laundered and folded uniform to the junior. He slowly took it and spoke before Kagome could retreat.

"Not a problem," he said, "Natasho-senpai is preoccupied with other matters at the moment." Arisada's smile grew.

"Since you're here, would you like a tour of Fujimori's campus? You weren't able to see it in its entirety before."

"I believe me I saw enough during my last visit," Kagome replied, "Thanks for the offer though."

"Nonsense!" Arisada protested, "Fujimori is an elite school full of opportunities one wouldn't experience at most other schools."

"It must be nice for someone who can actually go here," Kagome stated with a shrug, "Since you're so insistent, I suppose I can humor you for an hour or so."

He chuckled. "You could be a little more enthusiastic about it."

She snorted and folded her arms over her chest. "Show me something to be excited about."

"Right away, Higurashi-kun."

Arisada quickly began the tour, showcasing everything Fujimori had to be proud of. Kagome remained silent as he spoke, content to let Arisada do all of the talking. She had to admit Fujimori had the top notch facilities and an overwhelming number of gifted students to go with its high ranking. To her surprise, several teams, athletic and academic, competed and placed on the national level, and all of their students' test scores were on the nation's highest tier. Kagome was very impressed, but she wasn't going to let Arisada know that. She had a feeling he was up to more than he let on.

"So what do you think, Higurashi-kun?" Arisada asked when they came to a stop in front of the student council's meeting room.

"It's all very nice, but what is it you really want from me?" she asked.

"Right to the point I see," he replied, "May I ask what gave my intentions away?"

She smirked. "Let's just say I've seen much more convincing smooth talkers than you, Arisada-san."

"Well then," he began as he opened the door to the board room, "let's convene inside. There are some other people I want you to meet."

Kagome quietly walked inside ahead of Arisada, not knowing what to expect. The other three student council members were present in their usual seats along with a group of noticeably older men. Strangely enough, they were all exceedingly good looking and seemed to sparkle.

"What's going on?" Kagome questioned.

"Higurashi-kun, allow me to introduce the board of directors for Fujimori High," Arisada announced.

"What do you think you're doing?" she hissed, standing on the tips of her toes to speak in the older boy's ear, "Don't call me 'kun' in front of them! They'll get the wrong idea"

"No need for that, Higurashi-san. I am the chairman of the board," the front most member of the assembly stated, "We are already aware of your situation."

"Oh," Kagome muttered, embarrassed, "Forgive me for my outburst. I'm just a little surprised."

"We understand. Anyway, the reason why I and the other directors are here is to extend you an exclusive invitation."

"What kind of invitation do you have in mind?" she asked.

"After reviewing your academic history and rather unfortunate medical records from the previous year, we have decided to offer you a scholarship to Fujimori High under a special student classification."

"Huh? What for? This is an all boys' school!" Kagome cried, gobsmacked.

"Exactly," the chairman said with a nod, "That is why you would be designated a 'special student'. That title enables your enrollment at our establishment despite your sex."

"Really?" Kagome narrowed her eyes. "What's the catch?"

The chairman smiled, not deterred by her suspicions. "You see, Higurashi-kun, even though you will be able to attend Fujimori High, it would be far too troublesome if you were publically recognized as a girl by the student body. Other than everyone assembled here, the only ones that know your true gender are current Princesses, Shihoudani Yuujirou and Yutaka Mikoto; Princess candidate, Kouno Toru; and president of class 1-D, Sakamoto Akira. There are certain measures necessary to conceal your gender. Fortunately, Fujimori already has these measures in place."

"But…" Kagome probed.

"In order for you to access the necessary facilities, you need to be a member of Fujimori's Princess System."

"What? No way! I absolutely refuse!" she immediately protested, surprising everyone in attendance.

"Are you sure you should be so hasty with your decision?" Arisada asked, "Attending Fujimori will solve all of your problems."

"And what problems are those?" Kagome pointedly questioned.

"You have yet to advance to high school and have no current prospects or plans for future admittance," Tadasu stated, causing Kagome to stiffen.

"And even though your records explain the gaps in your attendance as medical complications, your chances of being accepted to a highly ranked institution are statistically low even with a passing entrance exam score," Harue said.

"We've also factored in your relationship with Sakamoto-sama," Koshio added.

"So, by accepting our invitation, you'll be enrolled in an elite high school with all the benefits of a normal student plus those of the current Princesses and be able to spend more time with your fiancé, Sakamoto-sama," Arisada surmised, "What's not to like bout the arrangement?"

Kagome briefly consider the proposition, hanging her head in thought. The offer seemed too good to be true, and, from her perspective, it was.

She took a deep breath and began to speak, her head still lowered, "Listen. Even if my supposed problems were any of your business, there's no possible way I could pass for a Princess or a male student at this school. It's just not going to work."

"What do you mean?" Arisada inquired.

Kagome looked up, her eyes considerably dulled.

"I'm not pretty. I'm not smart. I'm not good at sports or anything else. There's nothing remarkable or special about me."

She turned and approached the door, pausing just before she left the room.

"Thank you for the consideration, but the answer is still no."

_-O0o0O-_

Kagome sat quietly as she looked into the campfire, lost in thought. Dinner was long finished, and the group of shard hunters remained awake, silent and alert for any danger.

"Kagome-sama, is something troubling you?" Miroku asked, startling her.

"No, I'm just thinking," she answered.

"About what?" Shippo asked, approaching the young _miko_ and curling in her lap. He was going bored with the sustained silence.

InuYasha snorted before she could answer. "Probably something stupid."

"Don't be such a jerk! Kagome-chan is not stupid!" Shippo shouted, "Besides, no one was talking to you in the first place!"

Kagome smiled and gently rubbed the kit's hair. "It's fine, Shippo-chan. I was just wondering what's going to happen next."

"What do you mean?" InuYasha interjected again, "We gather the rest of the jewel shards and defeat Naraku. Nothing else matters."

"For now," Kagome added, rolling her eyes at his harsh tone.

"What do you mean?" Sango asked.

"It's not like we can travel together for the rest of our lives. Once the journey and the battle are over, what's next?" she clarified.

The silence that settled was unsettling, and Kagome quickly realized her blunder. All things considered, future wasn't necessarily the brightest for her friends especially with their looming battle with Naraku. She was certain they thought about it more than they let on.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to—"

"No need to apologize, Kagome-chan," Sango interrupted, smiling, "Planning ahead for the future is a good idea."

"You really think so?" she questioned.

Sango nodded. "As for me, I always considered reopening my old village. Maybe even training new _taijiya_ to carry on the profession."

"Like those two ninja sisters?" Shippo suggested.

"I recall briefly meeting them," Miroku commented with a nod, "Perhaps I could aid you in this venture, Sango-san. My expertise could be of use to."

Sango huffed and turned away from him, a faint dust of red on her cheeks. "No thanks. I don't need the likes of you hanging around only to molest my recruits and scare them away."

Miroku reassuringly grabbed Sango's hands. "I assure you my intentions are sincere, Sango-san."

Shippo snickered and stood up in Kagome's lap to whisper in her ear.

"Five, four, three, two—"

The loud smack of Sango's palm connecting with Miroku's cheek echoed throughout the clearing.

"Looks like you were a second too early," Kagome said with a giggle.

"I'll get it right next time!" Shippo assured her. He sat back down and turned to InuYasha.

"So what are you gonna do, InuYasha?"

The _hanyō _stiffened. "What's it to you? I don't need to answer to a child."

"Sounds like it's a secret," the kit said matter-of-factly, "Probably something stupid. At least he'll probably be long gone before we find out."

"Shippo-chan," Kagome warned him. With Kikyo still lurking about, InuYasha's promise to join her in hell technically was still valid. She already sorted her feelings for him but still hoped he would choose life instead.

InuYasha growled and pulled Shippo from Kagome's lap, slapping him on the back of the head.

"What are you trying to do? Get rid of me or something?" he asked.

"That hurt!" Shippo cried. When InuYasha loosened his grip, he dropped onto the forest floor and scurried back to Kagome.

"InuYasha, was that really necessary?" she asked. He huffed as she gathered Shippo in his arms.

"And you never answered the question," Miroku knowingly probed, "Isn't there something you want us to know about your future plans?"

"Don't worry. I'm going to stick around for a long, long time," InuYasha said. Flustered, he added, "You humans would never last without me."

"Is that a fact?" Kagome dryly stated.

"Hey! I'm not a human!" Shippo objected.

InuYasha smirked. "No, but you're just a kid. That's a thousand times worse!"

"Oh yeah? Just wait until I grow up! I'll be stronger than every single one of you!"

"Really, Shippo-chan?" Kagome countered, "That sounds like a challenge!"

Without mercy, she tickled the kit into submission, effectively destroy what remained of the earlier tense atmosphere.

_-O0o0O-_

Slowly, Kagome opened her eyes and sat up on her bed. She didn't remember falling asleep much less returning home.

"A dream, huh?" she muttered to herself wearing a melancholy smile.

'How ironic. At that time, I was so concerned with moving forward after the final battle. Now I'm the only one standing still.'

"Kagome, are you up?" her mother called from the hallway.

"Yes, ma'am," she answered without getting up, "Do you need anything?"

"Oh, no! You had a phone call from Sakamoto-san while you were asleep."

"Okay."

Kagome stood and walked into the hallway to retrieve the corded phone at the end of it, dialing the Sakamoto residence.

"Hello?" Fuyuki answered on the other end of the line.

"Hi, Fuyuki-chan, it's me."

"Oh, Kagome-chan. Are you calling for Aki-chan?"

"Yes," Kagome answered, "I missed his call earlier. Is he busy?"

"He's studying right now, but I can go get him if you'd like."

"No, that's okay. I wouldn't want to interrupt him."

"I'm sure Aki-chan wouldn't mind, but if that's what you want," Fuyuki said, her tone reluctant, "I'll tell him you called."

"Thank you, Fuyuki-chan. Goodbye."

"No problem. Bye, Kagome-chan."

When Kagome hung up the phone, she felt Buyo nudging his head against her feet. She bent down and scooped him up, balancing the large feline in her arms as she walked back to her room.

"It's all you fault, ya know," she said as she scratched him behind the ears, "Just before something completely crazy and impossible happens to me, I end up bumping into you. Are you sure you weren't a black cat in a previous life?"

Buyo cocked his head to the side and mewed.

She grinned. "Somehow I thought you'd say that."

-O0o0O-

Arisada paused when there was a knock at the door. He wasn't expecting anyone to join the student council and the Princesses for their meeting. Since Kagome declined her invitation to attend Fujimori, he decided to proceed with plans for the Princess Toru's induction ceremony.

"Come in."

With that invitation, Kagome confidently strode into the meeting room.

"Higurashi?" Toru said upon seeing her, "What are you doing here?"

She ignored her and turned her attentions to Arisada.

"First things first," she began, "I'm not going to accept a scholarship without earning it just because I'll be a special student. I want to take the entrance exam, and I'll only accept it if I pass."

Arisada nodded. "That condition is acceptable. I'll discuss it with the board of directors and arrange a date for you to take the exam as soon as possible."

"I'm confused," Mikoto interjected, "What is going on here?"

Arisada smirked, grateful that his plan eventually came together.

"Allow me to formally introduce our newest Princess candidate, Higurashi Kagome."

"…Eh?"

-O0o0O-

punkish furball – I hope you've enjoyed this latest installment. Until next time, TCB! = ^.^ =

(edited 12.19.2013)


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